All Scripture quotations are from the Authorized King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise indicated. July 11, 1997/October 1, 2014 TWO ADAMS

Transcription

1 All Scripture quotations are from the Authorized King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise indicated. July 11, 1997/October 1, 2014 TWO ADAMS Published for HANDS FOR JESUS For additional copies of this book see our Web sites HANDS FOR JESUS P.O. BOX MILWAUKEE, WI nd Edition 1997 by Merle E. Koepke All Rights Reserved

2 If you had a choice between the Word of God or the words of men, which one would you choose? When Jesus came into this world as a man He chose the Word of God. Jesus said to the devil, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). Jesus said to Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those things that be of men" (Matt. 16:23). Jesus made the right choices when it came to a decision between the Word of God and the words of men. Some time ago, there came a word from the LORD, saying, "Those who have taught what they have heard other men teach and have not received it from My Spirit, if they will repent My grace will cover them." Therefore, let us also choose the Word of God over the words of men!

3 Contents Introduction Forward TWO ADAMS, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? A NEW SPIRITUAL BODY BORN FROM ABOVE TWO LIVES, TWO DEATHS, TWO RESURRECTIONS SIN SEPARATES US FROM GOD BORN AGAIN OR SAVED THE CROSS OF CALVARY THE ANOINTING SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING ENTERING THE KINGDOM OF GOD THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD BEARING THE IMAGE OF THE HEAVENLY UNDERSTANDING OUR ADVERSARY SATAN, THE GOD OF THIS WORLD SATAN'S DEVICES DOMINION DOMINION OLD COVENANT OR NEW COVENANT OUR DOMINION OVERCOMING THE WORKS OF THE FLESH OVERCOMING DOUBT OVERCOMING UNBELIEF LOOKING BACK IN TIME 3

4 Introduction This book came into being as the Word of God was revealed to me. It started back in about 1981, while listening to a teaching on the book of Genesis. During the teaching, the instructor was asked, "is there a difference between born again and saved"? The instructor replied, "I believe there is." At that moment, within me, there was an impression upon my spirit. This was only an impression, as though it was a voice, yet it was not a voice. Within my spirit the words came to me, "There certainly is a difference." As I continued to search the Scriptures, and seek the truth from the Word of God, much has been revealed to me concerning Adam and Jesus. It took years of receiving information from the Scriptures, by a witness in my spirit and checking the Scriptures to see that everything agrees from Genesis through Revelation. It did not all come at once, but as the Scripture says, "But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken" (Isa. 28:13). There was a great need in my life for the breaking away from the traditions and teachings of men, that had held me until I was about forty-five years old. Following my acceptance of Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior, there was much work that needed to be done in my understanding of the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit needed to make many changes in the way I thought, and the things I believed. This is a process that everyone who desires to know the truth must submit to. It is called "renewing of the mind" (Rom. 12:2). It is a work of God in the lives of those who truly are seeking the truth. It comes by praying, studying, and seeking the truth from the Word of God, not the teachings of men. God is faithful, and will reveal the truth to all who will seek Him with a pure heart, desiring to make the changes necessary to walk in the light of the Word of God. It always amazed me that a man by the name of Enoch could walk with God; even before the flood and God received him (Gen. 5:21-24). Through much study and prayer I found the way to walk with God is to come into agreement with God according to His Word (Amos 3:3). If you have a true desire in your heart to know God, and to walk with Him, I believe it will benefit you to know the TWO ADAMS, Adam and Jesus Christ. My prayer is that the Spirit of God will teach you, and reveal the truth to you concerning the Scriptures; that you can walk with God in agreement with His Word. When Jesus was about thirty years old He said, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." (John 5:39). Jesus is the Second Adam, and knowing Him for Who He is should be our greatest desire in this life. Yet, there are many teachings of men that do not agree with the Scriptures, therefore we 4

5 must be sure what we hear and teach is according to the Scriptures. A few years ago a word came from the LORD saying, "Those who have taught what they heard other men teach and have not received it from My Spirit, if they will repent, My grace will cover them!" Let us, therefore be sure what we believe and teach is according to the Scriptures. 5

6 Forward There are certain Scriptures concerning Adam and Jesus that should be of importance to those who study their Bibles. In 1st Corinthians 15:45 it says, "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit." This gives us some information concerning Adam and Jesus. It tells us there are two Adams. The first one was made a living soul, the second One was a life-giving Spirit. The next verse makes it clear, "Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual" (1 Cor, 15:46). These verses alone should create in us a desire to know the difference between Adam and Jesus. There should be a desire to know the Truth that is revealed in the Bible. Once we know the truth concerning the TWO ADAMS, we can go on to receive greater revelation from the Bible. Two other books are in the process at this time. Each one taking many years of prayer and study to receive the revelation from the Scriptures. Following this book, "TWO ADAMS," is the revelation of Jesus Christ, called "THE 2ND ADAM." Some Scriptures concerning Jesus that should be of importance to those who love the LORD are: The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand (John 3:35). All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made (John 1:3). He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not (John 1:10). For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him (Col. 1:16). For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Who is this 2nd Adam that God the Father put all things into His hand? He created all things through Him, by Him, and for Him. Then sent Him into the world that the world might be saved by Him? We need to know Him personally, totally, and completely for who He is? The third book "THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST" is spoken of in Romans 1:16, which says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." The Gospel of Christ is the good news of the anointing that brings salvation to all who believe. The gospel of Christ begins in Matthew 1:1, which says, "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." The key to this is in verse 17, which says, "So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations." What is unknown to many is that there are 6

7 only thirteen generations from the carrying away into Babylon to Jesus. Jesus is the thirteenth generation, and Christ is the fourteenth generation. For Jesus to become the fourteenth generation, He first had to be the king of the thirteenth generation. Then for the kingship to pass from the thirteenth generation to the fourteenth generation Jesus had to die. Then the kingship is passed onto the next generation, which is Christ, the Anointed One. The body of Christ today is under the headship of the King of the Kingdom of God, which is Jesus Christ. His kingdom shall have no end. As Christ, He is the head of the body, and we are members of His body. Therefore, Jesus, the 2nd Adam has been exalted to King of the kingdom of God, and head of the body of Christ. His Name is above every name, and every knee shall bow to His name (Phil. 2:5-11). It is by and through the anointing of the Holy Spirit that all things are brought into subjection unto Jesus Christ. Therefore, we need to understand "THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST" the good news of the Anointed. 7

8 TWO ADAMS WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? Speaking of the first Adam, Genesis 1:26-27 says, And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Then in Genesis 2:7 it says, "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Speaking of the second Adam, John 1:1,2 says, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. Then John 1:14 says, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." Jesus said in John 6:38, "I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." In a prayer to the Father, Jesus prayed, "O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was" (John 17:5). In Luke 1:30,31 it says,...the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for... thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. In Luke 1:35 the angel said, "...The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." Speaking of the first Adam, in Luke 3:38 it says, "...Adam, which was the son of God." Notice the words "the son" are in italics, which means they were not in the original text. Man added these words to the Scriptures according to man's understanding. God did not say "Adam was the Son of God." Remember what the LORD said about adding to the Word of God (Deu. 4:2, 12:32, Prov. 30:6, Rev. 22:19)? It is not good to change the Word of God, nor teach that which others changed. Remember what happened to the serpent in Genesis 3:14 for changing the Word of God? We should go according to the Word of God, not the words of men. In the Scriptures we see two Adams; one was created, the other came down from the Father in heaven. Yet the first Adam was formed from the dust of the ground (Gen. 2:7) by Jesus, the "Second Adam" (Col. 1:16), Who was with the Father before the world was created (Prov. 8:4-31). 8

9 In 1st Corinthians 15:45 it says, "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit." This tells us there is a definite difference between the first Adam and the second Adam. John 3:31 says. "He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all." Jesus, although He is called the second Adam, come down from above; therefore He is greater than Adam. In 1st Corinthians 15:47 it says, "The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven." Adam was formed of the dust of the earth, whereas Jesus is the LORD from Heaven. It is very plain to see in these Scriptures that the first Adam was of the earth and Jesus was from heaven. The first Adam was created according to Genesis 1:27, whereas Jesus was not created, but with the Father from the beginning (John 1:14). The first Adam was a living soul. The second Adam was a life-giving Spirit. Speaking of Jesus, John 1:4 tells us that "In him was life (Zoe); and the life (Zoe) was the light of men." There isn't any place in the Bible that says the first Adam had (Zoe) life. Adam was not with the Father in the beginning. Adam was not begotten of the Father; he was created. It says in Genesis 2:7 that "...man became a living soul." The word "soul" is "nephesh" in the Hebrew; "psuche" in the Greek. This is not the same word as "spirit." In the Hebrew, the word "spirit" is ruwach. In the Greek, the word "spirit" is pneuma. Therefore, we have the first Adam becoming a living soul, and Jesus, being a life giving Spirit. When we hear teachings such as Adam was spiritual, just as Jesus was spiritual we need to be careful of what we believe. Some years ago a Word came for the LORD, saying, "Those who have taught what they heard other men teach and have not received it from My Spirit, if they will repent, My grace will cover them!" What is the difference between a living soul and a life giving Spirit? The word "soul," psuche in the Greek, psyche in English, means "the mind which governs the total organism and its interactions with the environment." When the LORD breathed into the nostrils of Adam the breath of life, man became a living soul. A living soul is a part of the natural man "psuchikos" in the Greek, "psychic" in the English, meaning "the mind controlled natural person, having to do with the mind, which is apparently sensitive to both physical forces and forces beyond the physical world." A life giving Spirit is a Spirit that is able to give the very life of God to those who are living souls. Those who are born of the flesh do not have, nor did they ever have this life of God in them (John 3:6-7). This life of God enables a person to enter into heaven, where the throne of God is. This life of God is "One Spirit with the LORD." When someone receives this life, they have eternal life. Jesus had both, soul life and Spirit life. Jesus said,...i am come that they might have life (Zoe), and that they might have it more abundantly. 9

10 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life (psuche) for the sheep (John 10:10,11). Jesus came that we might have life (Zoe, spiritual life). Jesus gave His life (psuche, soul life) for all who will believe in Him. Soul life is the life of the flesh. Leviticus 17:11 says, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood..." Jesus had blood, and the life of the flesh is in the blood. Even after Jesus rose from the dead, He still had flesh and bones. He said to His disciples in Luke 24:39, "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." Therefore, we know that Jesus had "blood, flesh, and bones." He gave His blood for our sins. When He died on the cross, the life of the flesh left His body. The same life that the first Adam had, Jesus also had. Yet His blood (where the life of the flesh is contained), did not come from Adam. Jesus had a living soul (psuche) and a physical body; being born of a woman (Mary). Jesus came into this world in the likeness of man, Spirit, soul, and body, yet without sin (not born of the blood of man, but of the Holy Spirit). Jesus gave all that the first Adam had, (before Adam sinned in the garden of Eden) as an atonement for our sins, sickness, and diseases. Jesus was a man. A righteous sinless Man paid the price for the unrighteous sinners. The difference between the first and second Adam is mentioned in 1st Corinthians 15:46. It says, "Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual." In today's English we would say, "Adam was not spiritual, whereas Jesus was Spiritual." It is very important that we do not change the Word of God and teach others to believe that Adam was spiritual. The word "natural" in the Greek is "psuchikos." This word is used only six times in the New Testament. The word "psuchikos" comes from the Greek word "psuche," yet meaning "not spiritual, but a higher degree of knowledge than that of animals." We find this same word (psuchikos) used in 1st Corinthians 2:14, where it says "But the natural (psuchikos) man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Being that the first Adam was natural and not spiritual (as Jesus was spiritual), we find that Adam did not have spiritual discernment. To have spiritual discernment, things must be spiritually discerned by the help of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:10). There is evidence of Adam's lack of spiritual discernment in Genesis 3:22. It says, "And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil..." Here it is the LORD that said, man became as one of God, knowing good and evil. Adam did not know good and evil before he ate of the tree. Adam received the knowledge of good and evil when he ate of the fruit. Therefore, following the day that Adam ate of that tree, mankind has the knowledge of good and evil. But still does not know the things of the Spirit (for they are spiritually discerned). We will 10

11 see more evidence of this when we look at what Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:3. Did Adam have a spirit? Job 32:8 says, "But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding." This clearly tells us that man did have a spirit. Was man's spirit dead to God? According to Job 32:8, God could communicate with man through man's spirit. If Elihu's spirit was dead to God it seems it would not have been able to receive the inspiration of God. What about 2nd Timothy 3:16, which says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." Evidently, all the old testament prophets received from God the same way Elihu spoke of, by the spirit of man receiving the inspiration of the Almighty! Therefore, men received the gift of prophecy in the Old Testament the same as man does in the New Testament, from man's spirit, by the inspiration of God. This certainly indicates that the spirit of man in the Old Testament was able to hear from God. When Jesus took three of His disciples with Him to pray in the garden of Gethsemane, He said to His disciples in Matthew 26:41, "...the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." If the disciples spirit (before Jesus died and rose again), was willing to pray, it doesn't seem as though it was dead to God. Evidently, their spirit was not opposed to praying for Jesus. Yet, according to 1st Corinthians 15:46, Adam's spirit was not the same as Jesus' Spirit. What was the problem with Adam and his descendants? First of all, there was nothing wrong with Adam in the day that the LORD created him. Genesis 1:31 tells us "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Everything that God created was very good. Man was exactly what God created him to be, with no evil in him (until he ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil). From that day forth, sin and death entered into Adam and all his descendants. Romans 5:12 says, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." It says, "all men." Does that mean, only those who have sinned, or even those who have not sinned? Romans 5:14 says, "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression..." If all have sinned, and death has passed upon all men, that includes you and I? Somehow, we must believe the Scriptures, which says, even those who have not sinned in the same manner as Adam. In 1st Corinthians 15:22 it says, "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Now for the $64,000 question! Even if you did not sin, would you be able to enter into eternal life without being born again? The Scripture very clearly says NO! All who are in Adam shall die. Therefore, Jesus said, "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again" (John 3:7). From our birth into this world we were dead in trespasses and sins. There is only one answer to the problem of sin and death. That is, to become alive and live in Christ Jesus. There is no other way to overcome sin and death. The only way that sin can be completely removed from your life is by the blood of Jesus Christ. No matter how good you are, or how perfectly you have kept yourself 11

12 from sin, you still have sin and death in your natural body. Paul said in Romans 7:23, "But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." The apostle Paul still had sin in his life. Yet, he continued to preach the gospel and did the work of an apostle. In 1st John 1:8 it says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." You were born with sin and death in your members. Your natural body is still mortal. Mortal means "dying; having death within; must eventually die." Your soul is still corruptible. Corruptible means "that which can be corrupted." In 1st Corinthians 15:52 it says, "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." You will never be without sin and death until that last day, at the last sound of the trumpet. Until that day, you still have sin and death in your members. There isn't any way you can make yourself perfect so that you can enter into eternal life in heaven. The only way you can overcome sin is "by the blood of Jesus Christ." In 1st John 1:7 it says, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." We need daily cleansing from all sin. This daily cleansing is done by "walking in the light of God's Word." Psalm 119:105 says, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." At the same time, while walking in the light of God's Word, 1st John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." It is through the confession of our sins that we are cleansed from all unrighteousness. Sin is unrighteousness. By repentance and confession (Luke 24:47), we are cleansed from all unrighteousness. Yet, that does not say we have no sin. In 1st John 1:10, it goes right on saying, "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." Therefore, you cannot enter into eternal life because you feel, or believe you have not sinned. The only way to receive eternal life is to become born again of the Spirit (John 3:5-7). What did Jesus tell Nicodemus in John 3:3? Let us see what it says, "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom (reign) of God." Nicodemus was a natural man, born of a woman. It says in 1st Corinthians 2:14, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." John 3:4-7 goes on to say, Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom (reign) of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. Jesus did not say, "born again of the water." Nicodemus was already born of the water; "that which 12

13 is born of the flesh is flesh." There was no need for him to go back into his mother's womb. Yet, Nicodemus did not have "the life of God in him." He was not born of the Spirit. No person when they are born into this world has the life of God in them (except Jesus). Jesus said, "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself" (John 5:26). Jesus is not a descendant of Adam (after the blood line of Adam). Jesus was born of "the Word of God and the Spirit of God." The angel said to Mary, "...The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). He is a second "Adam" (man). "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit" (1 Cor. 15:45). He came down from God the Father. Jesus did not come of His own. His Father sent Him. "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me" (John 6:38). Jesus was God with the Father in the beginning. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God (John 1:1,2). Jesus became a man in the flesh. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). There is no spiritual truth outside of Jesus, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). The Word of God spoken by Jesus is TRUTH, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17). Therefore, Jesus is the second Adam (man) to enter this world. Jesus was not created as Adam was. He was "the Son of God" from the beginning. Jesus was not born of man, but of God (the Holy Spirit) and woman (Mary). Leviticus 17:11 says, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood..." Jesus' blood did not come from Adam, or Adam's descendants. Only His flesh came from woman (Mary). Just as it was prophesied in Genesis 3:15, saying, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." God knew what He was doing from the beginning of the world. For the prophecy of Genesis 3:15 began to become fulfilled when Jesus was born of Mary. The angel said to Mary, "...The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). Mary's pregnancy came about by the Holy Spirit, not man. Jesus brought the life of God into this world, to give to those who will receive Him as LORD. In John 10:10b, Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life (Zoe), and that they might have it more abundantly." There is no other way to receive the life of God than through Jesus Christ. He is the giver of all eternal life. This life is not a life of flesh and blood, but a spiritual life. It is the very life of God itself. "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself" (John 5:26). In 1st Corinthians 15:50 it says, "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot 13

14 inherit the kingdom (reign) of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." From the day that Adam ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, sin and death entered into mankind. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Rom. 5:12). "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Cor. 15:22). Flesh and blood, sin and death, cannot inherit the kingdom (reign) of God! But, a new created spirit (man, born of the Spirit) can, for "...he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit" (1 Cor. 6:17). Paul wrote in Romans 8:11, "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." The word "quicken" means "make alive." For this body of flesh to inherit the kingdom (reign) of God it must first put on incorruption, and become immortal. This change from corruption to incorruption and mortal to immortal will not happen until we are all changed, at the last trump of the trumpet. "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Cor. 15:51,52). Until that day, we must abide in Christ, and be fruitful in the kingdom of God. Jesus said, Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned (John 15:4-6). 14

15 A NEW SPIRITUAL BODY What about now, before we are all changed? How do we enter into the kingdom of God? How could Nicodemus enter into the kingdom of God? Look at 1st Corinthians 15:44, which says, "It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." Our first birth gives us a natural body. But when we are raised, we are raised with a spiritual body. Don't be confused by this verse of Scripture, for all things have bodies. In 1st Corinthians 15:38-41 it says, But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies (heavenly), and bodies terrestrial (earthly): but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. The word celestial means "that which pertains to the sky or heavens." It includes the sun, moon, stars, as well as a god, angels, or heavenly beings. The word Terrestrial means "earthly." Celestial bodies of living creatures are spiritual bodies (unseen by the natural eye); whereas terrestrial bodies are flesh, (earthly bodies) and are seen with the natural eye. Animals have flesh bodies, birds have flesh bodies, people have flesh bodies; these are all terrestrial bodies. Angels have spiritual bodies, spirits have spiritual bodies, so do human beings have spiritual bodies; all these are celestial bodies. Angels, spirits, and human bodies that are celestial are not seen with the natural eye, but they do exist. Human beings may be the only creatures that have both, celestial and terrestrial bodies. In 1st Corinthians 15:44 it says "there is a spiritual body." There is, means "at this present time." Man has a spiritual body. Man always had a spiritual body. Before we are born of the Spirit we also had a spiritual body. Have you ever heard of "astral projection?" People in the occult have experienced their spiritual body separated from their flesh body, distances apart from each other. Have you ever heard of "out of the body experiences?" There are many who have had these experiences. Paul said in 2nd Corinthians 12:2,3, I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth.) If we study the subject of the Apostle Paul starting back in 2nd Corinthians 10:1 all the way through 12:13 you will find that Paul was speaking against glorifying himself. Yet in 12:1-7, he may 15

16 have done the same thing as the Apostle John in John 20:1-5 where John called himself "the other disciple." We know it was John that ran with Peter to the sepulchre after Mary told them that the stone was rolled away and Jesus was not in the sepulchre (John 20:3). In 2nd Corinthians 12:2,3, Paul said "I knew a man," by this, Paul could have been trying not to exalt himself, for a messenger of Satan was trying to get him to exalt himself (2 Cor. 12:7). Paul mentioned in 2nd Corinthians 11:23, that he was "in deaths oft," meaning more than once. One of these "often deaths" could have been fourteen years before his writing the 12th Chapter of 2nd Corinthians. We know Paul was stoned and left for dead at Lystra (Acts 14:19,20). This was about 11 years before writing 2nd Corinthians. Paul mentioned the stoning (2 Cor. 11:25) after mentioning the deaths (2 Cor. 11:23) (meaning, the time he is referring to could have been before the stoning at Lystra). Paul certainly believed in "out of the body experiences." In 1st Corinthians 5:3, it says, "For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit,..." Whether Paul was there in the spirit or not we do not know, but he does say it is possible to be there in the spirit, without being there in the natural body. In Revelation 1:10, the apostle John wrote, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day..." No one can prove that John was not taken up into heaven in his spiritual body and shown all these things. He could have been out of his natural body, we do not know. Jesus said in John 14:12, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." Jesus has now ascended to the Father in His physical body (Acts 1:9). Since that time, many of His followers have experienced leaving their physical bodies here on earth and ascending into the third heaven. There they have seen the glory of heaven, where those in Christ shall spend eternity. They have seen and talked with Jesus, Who instructed them of things they needed to accomplish on earth before returning to heaven to be with Him forever. They have also seen many of the Old Testament saints, such as Abraham, David, Elijah, etc. The LORD is the head of the body of Christ, and He still instructs His saints. This can include bringing them into heaven to see and experience the glory to come. By this they are better witnesses of Him and His glory, and can edify and build up the church here on earth through their testimony. This could be one of the greater works Jesus mentioned in John 14:12, for there is no recording of anyone doing this before Jesus death and resurrection, not even Jesus Himself. Many today, claim to have died and went to heaven in their spiritual body, and have seen many wonderful things. The major difference between Christians going to heaven in their spiritual body, and those of the occult having an "out of the body experience (astral projection)" is that the experience Christians have is not "of their own doing." That is, they do not decide themselves when they will go to heaven and return. That decision is only in the hands of the LORD. The Christians spiritual body does not belong to them, it is joined "one spirit with the Lord." The LORD is in control of what happens to their spiritual body, where it goes and what it does. The LORD also uses this "out of the natural body, in the spiritual body," experience along with the gift of "the word of knowledge" (1 Cor. 12:8). Sometimes, Christians operating in the gift 16

17 of the word of knowledge have experienced themselves in another place, watching and seeing what is there and what is taking place at that time. As an example, they can see themselves in the house of the person they are ministering to while they are ministering to the individual in their natural body. When this is happening, you will hear them saying such things as, "I am in your house now, I can see things in your house," or "I am walking through your house now from room to room." This is used to confirm that the person is receiving knowledge "supernaturally," not according to the natural knowledge of man, but by the knowledge of God. This is not unusual for a person to experience this when they are operating in the gift of the word of knowledge. Man always had a spiritual body; therefore the Scripture says, "there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body!" Our natural body of flesh is mortal and corruptible; it must be changed. But what about our new spiritual body? It is born of the Spirit, (the Holy Spirit of God). Jesus said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6). Therefore, being born of the Spirit, we have a new spiritual body. This was prophesied in Ezekiel 36:26, saying, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." At the time of our new birth, the old spiritual body is passed away. In 2nd Corinthians 5:17 it says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Look at what Peter said about our new birth in 1st Peter 1:23, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." This new spiritual body we receive with the new birth is born of incorruptible seed, the Word of God. If this spiritual body (born of the Word and the Spirit) is incorruptible and the body of flesh is corruptible, there must be two bodies. In Romans 7:22 it says, "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man." This tells us there is an inward man. In 2nd Corinthians 4:16 it says, "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." This speaks of an outward man and an inward man. Ephesians 3:16 says, "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man." Here it speaks of the inner man. Ephesians 4:22 says, "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts." The old man is the natural (psuchikos), mind controlled man. Ephesians 4:24 says, "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." The new man is the spiritual man, in the likeness of the second Adam (the LORD from heaven). Colossians 3:9 says, "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds." Paul is speaking of Christians who have already been translated from the flesh body to the spiritual body. The spiritual body normally is inside of our flesh body, therefore it is called an inward man as compared to the outward man. Each of these Scriptures speak of a man. It does not say there is an inward spirit and an outward spirit. The Scripture calls our new creature a "man." All of these references are speaking of two bodies existing at the same time, at this present time. In each case they are called a "man." A separate spiritual body, which is normally inside of our physical body of flesh and bones. 17

18 Therefore we have a natural body made of flesh and bones, and a spiritual body made of spirit (which we do not normally see). Yet, we must not overlook the Scriptures which state that we still have a body, a soul, and a spirit. All three make up man, being triune similar to God. God is three in one (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) man is three in one (body, soul, and spirit). Paul said in Romans 7:14-17, For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. Then we see something else in Romans 8:9, which Paul also said, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Paul is saying, he is to blame for what happens in his flesh (his outward body). Therefore, he is still to blame for sin that is at work in his outward body; while he is in the spiritual body. Look at Romans 7:22,23, which says, For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. Paul never said the outward man did not belong to him, but he did say there was sin in his members. In Romans 7:24,25 Paul then states, O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. How do we deal with sin in the outward man? Romans 8:12,13 says, sin is put to death "through the Spirit" by the power of the Spirit of God within us. Praise God! Of ourselves we can do nothing, but through Christ we have the victory. We have victory over sin and death (through Christ), who died for us, and took upon himself our sins and iniquities that we could have His righteousness. We are a three part being, spirit, soul, and body... In 1st Thessalonians 5:23, it says, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Today, those in Christ are free from sin and death in the new spiritual man, but still need to overcome the sin and death in the natural body and soul. In Christ we can overcome, by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony (Rev. 12:11). Once all things are put under the feet of the body of Christ,...we shall be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed (1 Cor. 15:51-52)....Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 18

19 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (1 Cor. 15:54,55). Our victory is not in our ability, but in Christ. He paid the price. He set us free. Therefore, "in Christ" we have the victory! 19

20 BORN FROM ABOVE Through our LORD Jesus Christ, we receive a new spirit (a new spiritual body). He is also the door (John 10:9), to the kingdom of God, by which we enter in. When we receive Jesus Christ as LORD, He comes into us and we into Him, and we become born again, "one spirit with the Lord" (1 Cor. 6:17). By which we enter into the family of God. Therefore, when we are born again we become a "new creature," created "in Christ Jesus" (2 Cor. 5:17). We are then true "children of God," and God is our "true Father!" In John 17:16 Jesus said, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." The word "world" is from the Greek word "kosmos," meaning "the whole earth, with all it's inhabitants, including the complete universe." If Jesus said His disciples were not of this world, where were they from? Why did Jesus say, "They are not of the world," meaning, His disciples? We know that Jesus was talking about the apostles John, James, Peter, and all the others. These were people, born into this world, having earthly parents, some of which are mentioned in the Scriptures. How could it be that they were not of this world? Their parents were, according to the Scriptures. If they, meaning Peter, James, and John along with millions of others (you and I included), were not of this world, who are they? Where did they come from? According to the words of Jesus, they are new creatures, "born again of the Spirit," born from heaven above. Therefore, the "they" Jesus was speaking of is the new "born again, spiritual man," not the man of the flesh. The man of the flesh is of this world. "The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven" (1 Cor. 15:47). Our natural body is from the first Adam, whereas our new spiritual body is joined to the LORD (the second Adam). Yes, we still have the old man of the flesh, but we are a new creature, born from heaven above. What was Adam's position in the beginning? Adam was created by the LORD (Gen. 1:27, 2:7), in God's likeness and image. Only in the likeness and image of God, not one with God, not one spirit with the LORD! Psalm 8:4,5 says, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Even though this verse of Scripture is speaking of the position of mankind in general; for God did give man (male and female) dominion over the works of His hands, it is also prophetically speaking of Jesus. Hebrews 2:6-9 says, But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things 20

21 put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Adam was created and formed of the earth by the LORD about six-thousand years ago. The Scripture says the Son of God (Jesus, Who was with the Father) came down from the Father? He became the Son of man, even lower than the angels, and tasted death for every man. Man was given dominion over all things on this earth. Man was God's representative over the works of God on earth. Man was like God, in His likeness and image. Yet, man was not one with God. The tree of life was in the garden of Eden for Adam and Eve to eat of. Genesis 3:22 says, "And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever." Eating of the tree of life would have enabled Adam to live forever. Genesis 3:24 says, "So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." Adam and Eve were both driven out of the garden of Eden. They were both kept from eating of the tree of life following their eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam lived with sin and death in him for 930 years, then he died. Adam had a living soul. It continued to live, and will always continue to live "in heaven or in hell." Jesus said in Matthew 10:28, "...fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Will Adam be in heaven? Only if he received Jesus Christ as LORD when the gospel was preached to him during the three days of Jesus' death and victory over sin, death, and the devil. In 1st Peter 3:18-20 it says, For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. In 1st Peter 4:6 it says, "For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." God is faithful to His Word, for God and His Word are one (John 1:1). There is only one way to enter into eternal life (Zoe), and that is in Christ Jesus. This new birth is our "ticket" to enter into heaven. Without the new birth "born of the Spirit" no man can enter into heaven. Jesus always was and is "...the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6). There never was any other way to receive eternal life than in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus is the second Adam. There had to be a second Adam for man to receive a second birth into the family of God. There are two reasons for this. The first reason is, the first Adam was earthly 21

22 of this earth; not heavenly from heaven. He was not created to live in heaven, but to dwell upon this earth. Acts 17:26 says, "And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation." The second reason is, "only those who are in the second Adam shall be made alive." In 1st Corinthians 15:22 it says, "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Even if Adam had not sinned, he still could not enter into heaven, unless he had eaten of the tree of life, through which he could have lived forever (Gen. 3:22). I believe that Jesus was represented by the Tree of Life, just as Satan was represented by the tree of knowledge of good and evil. There is no religion, or religious means by which you can receive eternal life. No one is born again through water baptism. This eternal life is in Jesus Christ, and only by Him, and through Him, can we be saved. Water baptism is for the remission of sins (Matt. 3:11, Mark 1:4, Luke 3:3). If you were told that, because you lived a good life, and have not sinned, God will receive you when you die; you have been told a lie. You cannot go to heaven just because you have not sinned. The only way you can enter into eternal life in heaven is to be born again. YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN! Unless you are born again of the Spirit, you cannot enter into the kingdom (reign) of God (John 3:5). The first, and most important thing you can do in this life is receive Jesus Christ into your life and become born again of the Spirit! 22